Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2026-11-02

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Mon, Nov 2
● Final78 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1775
← Oct 26Nov 2latest
Feeder Cattle receipts
555 head
▲ 25 vs last sale 530▼ 66 vs year ago 621 · −10.6%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
689 head
▼ 177 vs last sale 866▼ 290 vs year ago 979 · −29.6%
Replacement Cattle receipts
328 head
▼ 83 vs last sale 411▼ 118 vs year ago 446 · −26.5%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: All feeder cattle were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed on all offerings. Demand for feeder cattle was mostly light to moderate for light offerings. Quality this week was mostly plain. Most feeders were offered in small packages with many singles noticed. Many feeders were cutbacks off summer video sales. With rain seen across the state all weekend long many sets of calves were stressed and buyers discounted them accordingly. Market activity was mostly slow to moderate with a small buyer pool noticed this week. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand and offerings. Cow quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Feeding cow demand remains good to very good. Additional American packers were in the market this week buying cows to feed. Canadian buyers continue to buy cows to ship north and feed and they showed good demand as they competed with American packers this week. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher on breaking and boning cows, lean flesh cows sold generally steady to firm. Farmer feeders remain active market participants as they purchased lean cows which will gain quickly when put on feed. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average today with many very full offerings noticed. Cows were full after last weekends change of weather. Slaughter cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand today. Slaughter cow sold steady to 3.00 higher on all offerings in a narrow comparison. Demand for slaughter cows was slightly stronger this week as feeding buyers pushed to own most of the offering. Slaughter bulls sold steady in a narrow comparison. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on mostly good to very good demand. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Young age offerings sold generally steady.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $356.63/cwt on 38 head, down $2.87 from the prior sale. That ranks 2 of 4 comparable sales and sits −1.44 against this barn's trailing median of $358.07.
Average price
$356.63
▼ 2.87 vs prior sale
38 head · 542 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,934
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$123
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 1-2
$11.07/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−30.00
vs MT average
−22.37 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1549360.711,98024
Medium and Large 1-2531349.641,85714thin
One grade step is worth $11.07/cwt here — about $123 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 400–500 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only
This sale38 hd
356.63
—
MT average4 barns · 1,184 hd
386.63
−30.00
National average189 barns · 22,668 hd
379.00
−22.37
This barn, trailing median4 sales
358.07
−1.44
A barn can sit above the state average at one weight and below it at another — check the class you actually sell.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

4 sales
384366348329median 358.0710/1210/1910/2611/0211/02
Heifers 500–600 lb: high $370.05, low $343.45, median $358.07 across 4 sales. Sales under 10 head in this class are excluded, so a thin day cannot swing the median or the ranking.

Slaughter cattle

By class and quality grade · $/cwt
Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.
ClassGradeDressingAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Bulls—Average1,680168.442,83016
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,355136.741,853255
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,619132.472,14517
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,159118.311,371128

Replacement cattle Per head

By class, stage and age
Bred stock and pairs are reported per head, not per hundredweight — these prices are never mixed with the $/cwt figures above.
ClassStageAgeAvg wt$/headHead
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,314$2,99514
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,195$2,7002thin
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,277$2,6134thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,478$2,5418
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,277$2,42427
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,339$2,30023
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,311$2,26918
Bred Heifers1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)(<2 yrs)1,099$3,4467

Every lot

78 lots · USDA AMS · Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction - Billings, MT (Mon)
Nothing removed and nothing rounded — the same lots as the USDA report, with per-head values added. Grouped by class and set lightest first; USDA files them in sale-ring order.
ClassWeightGrade / descriptionAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
Feeder Cattle · Steers14 lots · lightest first
Steers250–300Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned283600.00/cwt600.00–600.001,6986
Steers250–300Medium and Large 2Unweaned298570.00/cwt570.00–570.001,6993
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned335570.00/cwt570.00–570.001,9102
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned377520.97/cwt520.00–525.001,96410
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned435497.43/cwt487.50–498.002,16418
Steers450–500Medium 1-2Unweaned455407.50/cwt407.50–407.501,8541
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned482431.94/cwt419.00–452.502,08215
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned520411.47/cwt375.00–438.002,14032
Steers500–550Medium 1-2Unweaned525360.00/cwt360.00–360.001,8902
Steers550–600Medium and Large 2Unweaned562350.00/cwt350.00–350.001,9673
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned586365.44/cwt355.00–385.002,14128
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned627347.49/cwt340.00–363.002,17914
Steers650–700Large 1Unweaned662312.50/cwt312.50–312.502,0695
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned690334.64/cwt330.00–340.002,30917
Feeder Cattle · Heifers13 lots · lightest first
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned349505.00/cwt505.00–505.001,76229
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned373430.00/cwt430.00–430.001,6044
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1Unweaned389495.00/cwt495.00–495.001,9269
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned416462.25/cwt440.00–472.001,92368
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned424420.20/cwt405.00–430.001,78217
Heifers400–450Large 1-2Unweaned441370.00/cwt370.00–370.001,6327
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned478375.00/cwt375.00–375.001,7932
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned480440.00/cwt440.00–440.002,1128
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned514390.00/cwt390.00–390.002,0055
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned531349.64/cwt340.00–362.501,85714
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned558353.00/cwt353.00–353.001,97019
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned616315.00/cwt315.00–315.001,9404
Heifers650–700Medium 1-2664250.00/cwt250.00–250.001,66019
Feeder Cattle · Bulls5 lots · lightest first
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned415501.00/cwt501.00–501.002,07920
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned454445.00/cwt445.00–445.002,0208
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned574360.00/cwt360.00–360.002,0668
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 1Unweaned648322.00/cwt322.00–322.002,0877
Bulls700–750Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned701307.50/cwt307.50–307.502,1565
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls5 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Return to Feed1,499161.29/cwt150.00–167.002,4185
Bulls——1,681164.93/cwt160.00–167.502,7726
Bulls——Return to Feed1,750170.00/cwt170.00–170.002,9751
Bulls——1,788188.00/cwt188.00–188.003,3612
Bulls——1,985176.52/cwt175.00–178.003,5042
Slaughter Cattle · Cows18 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight78389.95/cwt80.00–93.007046
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight95873.72/cwt70.00–77.507062
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,09078.54/cwt62.50–84.008567
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,159121.44/cwt107.50–132.501,40752
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,160109.48/cwt107.00–115.001,2708
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,17796.33/cwt90.00–103.001,13418
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,185152.11/cwt150.00–154.001,8032
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,243141.77/cwt135.00–144.001,76233
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,339143.43/cwt140.00–152.001,921178
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,354154.93/cwt153.50–157.502,0987
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,382120.58/cwt106.00–139.001,66649
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,411105.16/cwt95.00–111.001,4845
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,440113.77/cwt111.00–118.001,63816
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,515144.50/cwt142.00–146.002,1894
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,584133.14/cwt130.00–140.502,1097
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,690134.96/cwt131.00–137.002,2813
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,695118.00/cwt118.00–118.002,0001
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,808109.54/cwt108.00–111.001,9802
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows13 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,1602,400.00/head2,400.00–2,400.002,4001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,2282,450.00/head2,450.00–2,450.002,4502
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2303,000.00/head3,000.00–3,000.003,0001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2732,432.53/head2,400.00–2,500.002,43326
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,2802,000.00/head2,000.00–2,000.002,0001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,3002,319.39/head2,300.00–2,375.002,31915
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,3142,994.97/head2,975.00–3,250.002,99514
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,3252,775.00/head2,775.00–2,775.002,7752
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,3392,300.00/head2,300.00–2,300.002,30023
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth1,3672,019.63/head1,900.00–2,100.002,0203
Bred Cows—Large 11,3852,200.00/head2,200.00–2,200.002,2001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,4132,725.00/head2,725.00–2,725.002,7255
Bred Cows—Large 11,7402,350.00/head2,350.00–2,350.002,3502
Replacement Cattle · Open Heifers2 lots · lightest first
Open Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2933285.00/cwt285.00–285.002,6592
Open Heifers—Medium and Large 11,136264.07/cwt251.00–286.003,0008
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows7 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium 1828275.59/cwt260.00–285.002,2823
Stock Cows—Medium 1-2873210.00/cwt210.00–210.001,8333
Stock Cows—Medium 1888275.00/cwt275.00–275.002,4423
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1977297.55/cwt240.00–332.002,90746
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,080211.50/cwt156.00–233.002,2848
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,118227.38/cwt166.00–280.002,54236
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,220160.23/cwt160.00–162.001,95510
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers1 lot · lightest first
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 11,0993,446.30/head3,200.00–3,550.003,4467

This sale against other markets

Montana weighted averages
One sale is one barn on one day. The state ladder is every Montana auction USDA reported that week, weighted by head — the fairer test of whether a lot sold well.